The Long and Short Of Short Mystery Story Writing, Revision, and Submission
Short mystery fiction isn’t a relic of a romanticized past when pulp stories ruled. Outlets for short mystery stories in a variety of genres ranging from flash fiction under 1,000 words to 15,000-word novellas are alive and well. In this class, Andrew will offer tips and techniques for successfully conceiving, writing, revising, and publishing mystery short stories. He’ll discuss common pitfalls in the creation of short fiction, explore the elements that differentiate a story from a novel, and make suggestions for plotting, scene-setting, and character development unique to a 5,000-word story. Andrew will also provide an overview of today’s short story market and how to break into the multiple magazines and anthologies being published every year.
Instructor:
Andrew Welsh-Huggins is the Shamus-, Derringer-, and International Thriller Writers-award nominated author of more than fifty published short mystery stories. Andrew’s stories have appeared in leading short-fiction publications including Ellery Queen Mystery Magazine, Alfred Hitchcock Mystery Magazine, Black Cat Weekly, Mystery Tribune, and many more. In addition, Andrew’s stories have been published in multiple anthologies including Mickey Finn: 21st-Century Noir vols. 1,3,4 and 5; Paranoia Blues: Crime Fiction Inspired by the Songs of Paul Simon; This Time For Sure, the 2021 Bouchercon anthology; and The Best Mystery Stories of the Year 2021 and 2024. Andrew’s private eye story, “Through Thick and Thin,” is upcoming in both The Best Mystery Stories of the Year 2025 and The Best Private Eye Stories of the Year 2025. Andrew is also the author of more than a dozen novels, including his new, critically acclaimed thriller, “The Mailman,” introducing freelance courier Mercury Carter.
